FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 28, 2026

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Public Relations Liaison Darcy Israel, (760) 878-0292

Inyo County Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Recommended Budget Available Online

An interactive, digital version of the entire Inyo County Fiscal Year 2026-2027 County Administrative Officer Recommended Budget is now available through an interactive, online format at OpenGov (click here).

The book’s release is an opportunity for the public to review the proposed $181.7 million spending plan before it’s brought to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, September 8 for the start of budget hearings at 10 a.m. The Board may continue the hearings for up to 14 days if necessary. At the conclusion of the hearings, the Board will be asked to approve the CAO Recommended Budget – with additions, subtractions, or any other changes the Board desires – and direct that a final version be brought forward for approval on September 29.

In advance of the September 8 hearing, the public has the chance to dig deeper into the figures, processes, guidelines, methodology, and department requests that went into crafting the FY 2026-2027 Recommended Budget, as well as learn about past successes, current challenges, and future goals. The digital Budget Book also stands on its own as a general overview of Inyo County’s workforce, organizational structure, fiscal policies, priorities, culture, and values.

Publication of the Budget Book – as is the case every year – is the culmination of many weeks of analysis, calculation, research, meetings, planning, writing, and review by department heads and staff countywide. Completion of the Recommended Budget is further owed to the painstaking efforts of the Inyo County Budget Team – consisting of Auditor-Controller Amy Shepherd, Acting County Administrator Denelle Carrington, and Budget Analyst Kelsey Gonzalez – with assistance from Administration support staff.

The finished product reflects the Budget Team’s efforts to achieve financial resiliency and stability in the face of fiscal uncertainty and constantly shifting landscape at the state and federal levels.

“At the core of this budget is a continued focus on maintaining vital public services that citizens rely on every day,” Acting CAO Denelle Carrington writes in the introduction, citing law enforcement, elections, health and human services, environmental health, road maintenance, and libraries. “The County also remains focused on investing in infrastructure and long-term capital projects, including completing the new Animal Shelter and continuing improvements to parks and campgrounds.

“While the budget is balanced, challenges persist,” she continues. “Changes in state and federal policy, uncertainty in funding streams, rising costs, and evolving community needs all require ongoing attention. In the months ahead, the County will continue evaluating programs, staffing, and opportunities to operate more efficiently – while upholding our commitment to essential public services.”

The budget relies on an estimated $4.5 million in Fund Balance (essentially, money unspent in FY 2025-2026) to close budget gaps and avoid reduction of services. Auditor-Controller Shepherd will certify the exact amount of Fund Balance available at the September 8 hearing, at which time the Board will have additional decisions to make if the actual total comes in over or under $4.5 million. In the event of excess Fund Balance, the Budget Team will present recommendations for its use, including placing the money in various “rainy day” funds and trusts, or funding additional priorities not included in the Recommended Budget.

The Budget Book details the anticipated revenue and proposed expenditures for each of the County’s 20 departments and 168 budget units for the 2026-2027 Fiscal Year, which runs from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. (On June 9, the Board of Supervisors adopted a modified version of the 2025-2026 Board Approved Budget to serve as the Preliminary 2026-2027 Fiscal Year Budget until a final version could be presented and approved this fall.)

The public is encouraged to take part in the September 8 budget hearings.

This meeting is accessible to the public both in person and, for convenience, via Zoom webinar. The Zoom webinar is accessible to the public at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81412627121. The meetings may also be accessed by telephone at the following numbers: (669) 900-6833; (346) 248-7799; (253) 215-8782; (929) 205-6099; (301) 715-8592; (312) 626-6799.

The budget can also be accessed via the Inyo County website at https://www.inyocounty.us/services/county-administrators-office/county-budget-analysis. In addition to being available online, the proposed budget documents are available for public review at the Clerk of the Board’s Office, 224 N. Edwards St., Independence, during business hours.

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